Norman Rockwell’s American spirit still inspires

At his studio, artist Norman Rockwell, left, is interviewed by a young Carleton Varney. Photo courtesy Dorothy Draper & Co.

From days gone by, some of you may recall the charm of the original Saturday Evening Post covers by the great Norman Rockwell. They featured scenes that captured the spirit of America in the 1940s and ’50s.

Today, Rockwell’s original paintings and commercial art pieces can sell for millions — not really surprising, as he was truly a genius when it came to art. He was also a genius in capturing the spirit of American life, a spirit that is in our very being and one I believe will carry on through the ages.

I sometimes see that Rockwell spirit carried into the interiors of homes. Last week, I visited a home in Texas where a powder room’s walls were wallpapered with vintage Saturday Evening Post covers, carefully applied and then lacquered. What a welcoming powder room!

In the same vein, a theatrical producer I know has covered walls of his English-style library with Broadway Playbill covers. The covers featured shows such as Annie, South Pacific and Hamlet, as well as some newer productions — Hamilton and the Gloria Estefan musical On Your Feet!

The work and life of the artist are showcased at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. There, prints of the master’s work can be purchased. They’re great pieces to hang in happy rooms; I can see them working nicely in an entry hall, a kitchen or a child’s bedroom, for instance.

If I had the sums, I would hang an original Rockwell in a place of honor in my living room. His optimistic spirit is what I wish for our country, a spirit that conveys unity and caring for all. May the spirit of the great master find a place in your own home.

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Palm Beacher Carleton Varney is president of Dorothy Draper & Co., an international design firm with offices in New York, West Palm Beach, London and White Sulphur Springs, W.Va. Visit CarletonVarney.com or email him at cvarney@dorothydraper.com.